Theresa Milstein: Hide

“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing
career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick
hide.”

—Harper Lee

I read my last post and feel like a
different person wrote it. This isn’t an unfamiliar feeling. Any writer knows that with great hope
comes the eventual loss of hope.

One positive piece of news can make a day.

One negative feedback can break a day.

For me, it seems to be coming from all fronts. I apply for
jobs, many through schoolspring.com.
Sometimes, I get an email that an employer has read my resume
(hope). Sometimes, I get an email
that the position has been filled (loss of hope).

I spent much of Sunday applying for non-teaching jobs. I’m still applying for teaching and
even better paying instructional aide jobs. What is one qualified for (other than teaching) with a
History B.A. and M.A.? I worked at GEICO full time, and then part time during
grad school, but that was a long time ago. I hope to find a position in education, so maybe there will
be some more vacation time for me to spend with my kids. I’ll miss the summer. That is, if I get a job. At least my last job is
waiting for me.

In the midst of that happiness, I received 2 bits of
negative writing feedback, so the brief moment in the sun became a tsunami.

I feel like hiding.

I’m tired of saying I’m a teacher who isn’t teaching.

I’m tired of saying I’m a writer who isn’t published.

Small pieces.

But no BIG BOOKS.

Since summer began, I’ve been devoting lots of time to
editing. I plan to have 2 more
projects to query by end of summer.

Too bad the story of my life is… the best laid plans.

Depressed yet?

I’m leaving us with some inspirational quotes. We could use them about now.

“When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it
to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt;
revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering
children, but it must be done.”—Stephen King, WD

“Plot is people. Human emotions and desires
founded on the realities of life, working at cross purposes, getting hotter and
fiercer as they strike against each other until finally there’s an
explosion—that’s Plot.”—Leigh Brackett, WD

“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting,
read. I know of no shortcuts.”—Larry L. King, WD

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one
ever becomes a master.”—Ernest Hemingway

“Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting
struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake
such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither
resist nor understand.”—George Orwell